1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to methods and apparatus for fabricating an electrical connector of the type including a dielectric housing having a plurality of terminal-receiving cavities, with terminals in at least some of the cavities. In particular, the present invention pertains to methods and apparatus for voiding or removing terminals from predetermined connector cavities.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
In order to mass terminate a plurality of terminals to wire conductors, machines have been developed to partially preload the terminals into the terminal receiving cavities of a connector housing, so that their wire engaging portions remain outside the housing. Subsequently, a termination assembly of suitable configuration electrically connects or terminates the wire conductors to the wire engaging portion of the terminals. The partially preloaded terminals are then inserted completely to assume fully loaded positions in the connector housing.
An example of the above apparatus is disclosed in commonly owned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 584,041 filed Feb. 27, 1984, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,590,650 granted May 27, 1986. Disclosed in an arrangement wherein the terminals associated with a given connector are joined to a common carrier member, thereby facilitating mass insertion and full loading of the terminals with a minimum number of automated steps. Simultaneously, wires are terminated in each of the partially preloaded terminals in a single mass loading operation. Thereafter, the carrier member is pushed so as to fully insert the terminals within the connector housing, completing fabrication of the cable harness.
Fully automated terminal preloading and mass insertion capabilities of the type described above offer significant economical advantages to a supplier and manufacturer of electrical connectors. However, the need for voiding selected circuit (terminal) positions of electrical connectors can arise if a given application requires absolute assurance that an electrical circuit will not be completed through a given connector mating position. These requirements arise for reasons of safety for either operating personnel or equipment. For example, there may be a need to ensure that a high voltage electrostatic discharge is not introduced into a low voltage, difficult-to-replace logic circuit or the like.
In the past, connector manufacturers have had to sever selected terminals from the carrier strip, before those terminals were associated with a connector housing. Accordingly, the unique position of the terminal on its carrier had to be known beforehand, before the terminals could be preloaded in an electrical connector housing. Thereafter, the specially prepared terminal assemblies had to be stocked as separate items.
A system having greater flexibility in the terminal selection is desired, particularly one which reduces storage and material handling requirements. In an optimum situation, the assembler of the connector arrangement would select the terminals to be voided at the time of harness fabrication.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for automatically voiding selected preloaded terminals partially inserted in housing cavities, or mating positions, of an electrical connector.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus of the above-described type which is compatible with mass termination and mass insertion connector assembly techniques.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide terminal voiding apparatus which removes a terminal from a housing cavity and severs that terminal from a common carrier member, in a single automated step.